Long-Distance Trade, Global Crises, and Recovery (1000-1500)

Practice Q&A flashcards covering Eurasian trade routes, diplomatic missions, religious campaigns, the bubonic plague pandemic, Ming dynasty recovery, European state building, the Renaissance, and maritime explorations.

How did the transport of luxury goods differ from bulkier commodities in Eurasian trade between 1000 and 1500?

Luxury goods of high value traveled overland on the silk roads, while bulkier commodities traveled the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean.

What characteristics made trading cities like Melaka thrive?

They were orderly, strategically located, and had reasonable custom fees.

What period of peace, prosperity, safe travel, and increased trade was restored after the thirteenth-century Mongol conquests?

Pax Mongolica.

Who was Marco Polo, and how long did he remain in China?

He was a Venetian traveler (1253-1324) who spent seventeen years in China at the Mongol court of Khubilai Khan (Yuan Dynasty) before returning to Venice in 1295.

What was the result of Pope Innocent IV's invitation to the Mongols in the thirteenth century?

The Mongols rejected the invitation to become Christians.

Who was sent by the ilkan of Persia in 1287 to win European allies against Muslims?

Rabban Sauma.

Which event in 1295 ended the possibility of a Christian-Mongol alliance against Muslims?

Ilkhan Ghazan's conversion to Islam.

Who was Ibn Battuta?

A Moroccan Islamic scholar (1304-1369) who served as qadi to the sultan of Delhi, traveled to Mali and the Maldive Islands, and offered advice on Islamic values to Muslim rulers.

Who was John of Montecorvino and what were his key achievements?

A Christian missionary who became the first archbishop of Khanbaliq (Beijing) in 1307, translated the New Testament, built several churches in China, and baptized some Mongol and Chinese boys.

Which new crops were introduced to sub-Saharan Africa by Muslims?

Citrus fruits, rice, and cotton.

How did sugarcane spread to Europe and how was it cultivated in the Mediterranean basin?

Sugarcane originated in southwest Asia and north Africa, was introduced to Europeans during the crusades, and was grown on Mediterranean plantations through the labor of slaves, Muslim captives, and Africans.

How did gunpowder technology spread west from China during the thirteenth century?

It was spread west by Mongol armies and was used for catapults and primitive cannons.

What percentage of the population in China's Hebei province was killed by the bubonic plague in 1331?

90 percent.

In what years did the bubonic plague reach the Black Sea, Italy, and western Europe?

It reached the Black Sea in 1346, Italy in 1347, and western Europe in 1348.

Which regions were less affected or completely bypassed by the bubonic plague?

Scandinavia and India were less affected, while sub-Saharan Africa was bypassed.

What were the population drops in China and Europe due to the bubonic plague?

China's population dropped by 10 million from 1300 to 1400, and the European population dropped by about 25 percent.

Who established the Ming dynasty in 1368 and what does 'Ming' translate to?

Hongwu overthrew Mongol rule and established the Ming dynasty, which translates to 'Brilliant'.

What roles did mandarins and eunuchs play in centralizing Ming government authority?

Mandarins represented the central government to local authorities, and eunuchs served in government because they could not build family fortunes.

What was the Yongle Encyclopedia?

A massive anthology of Chinese cultural traditions compiled during the Ming dynasty's cultural revival.

What war was fought between France and England from 1337 to 1453, and how did it affect their central governments?

They fought the Hundred Years' War over control of French lands, imposing direct taxes to pay for war costs and asserting central government authority over feudal nobility.

How was Spain united in the late fifteenth century, and what were its key accomplishments?

Spain was united by the marriage of Fernando of Aragon and Isabel of Castile. They completed the reconquista by conquering Granada, seized southern Italy in 1494, and sponsored Columbus's voyage.

What three major developments defined the 1450 turning point?

The Ottoman Empire, the Printing Press, and European Exploration.

Which Renaissance painters are credited with using linear perspective to show depth?

Macaccio and Leonardo.

Which Renaissance sculptors created natural poses?

Donatello and Michelangelo.

Who designed the magnificent domed cathedral of Florence?

Brunelleschi.

What were the primary purposes of Admiral Zheng He's seven maritime expeditions?

To control foreign trade and impress foreign peoples.

Why did the Ming dynasty end maritime expeditions in 1433?

Confucian ministers mistrusted foreign alliances, resources were redirected to agriculture and defense of northern borders, the technology for building large ships was forgotten, and nautical charts were destroyed.

What Moroccan city was seized by Prince Henry of Portugal in 1415?

Ceuta.

Which Portuguese mariner reached the Cape of Good Hope in 1488?

Bartolomeu Dias.

Who arrived at Calicut in 1498 and returned to Lisbon with a huge profit?

Vasco da Gama.

Who sponsored Cristoforo Colombo's 1492 voyage to the Caribbean?

The king and queen of Spain.